


Let This Be Called a Word Unpronounceable

by badgerling



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers - Ambiguous Fandom
Genre: Adventures In Detention, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, Alternate Universe - Teenagers, Bucky Barnes Is A Hufflepuff, Bucky Barnes has a crush, Hogwarts Seventh Year, Kissing, Kissing In Detention, Kissing In The Forbidden Forest, M/M, POV Tony Stark, Protective Bucky Barnes, Set Between The Marauders' Era And Harry Attending Hogwarts, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark is a slytherin, teenagers kissing, winteriron
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-07
Updated: 2019-01-07
Packaged: 2019-09-30 03:51:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,273
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17216486
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/badgerling/pseuds/badgerling
Summary: Tony was fine serving the detention he had earned. He was not okay with serving detention with Bucky Barnes. And he definitely not okay with running for his life from a manticore. An apparent manticore. Because there shouldn't be manticores in the Forbidden Forest.





	Let This Be Called a Word Unpronounceable

**Author's Note:**

  * For [rightsidethru](https://archiveofourown.org/users/rightsidethru/gifts).



> For the prompt: Hogwarts AU (+ bonus points for Slytherin!Tony)
> 
> Marvel characters belong to Marvel Comics and Disney. Harry Potter characters, places, and things were created by JK Rowling. No infringement intended.

"So what are you in for?"

It's not like Tony was a stranger to detention. He was a Slytherin, too smart for his own good, and far too willing to point that out to fellow students or teachers or sometimes the Headmaster himself. He just wasn't used to someone else being in detention with him. Usually he was stuck cleaning the Charms or Transfiguration classrooms, depending on which professor got the short end of the stick this time, but tonight, he got an exasperated look from Professor Snape, a list of Potions ingredients to find in the Forest, and a one way ticket to Hagrid's hut for the evening.

Where the most annoying Hufflepuff in the world stood by the doorway, hands shoved into his pockets, cloak open, scarf loose around his neck, smirking like this was the greatest adventure of his life. He grinned wide after asking the question, stepping forward to fall into step beside Tony. James Barnes was the golden boy in that annoying way. Quidditch star, top of his class in everything that Tony wasn't also taking, and infuriating in ways that Tony couldn't really pinpoint. Especially since even in the classes they shared, both of them kept to their own houses' sides of the classrooms, so there was no real reason for Tony to be this annoyed by the other boy, so much that the mere sight of him set Tony's teeth on edge (and made his stomach clench and do flips and maybe Tony knew why that was, but he had banished those feelings long ago).

"What are _you_ in for, Barnes?" Tony said, trying to keep his tone neutral, even if his words were clipped and his accent edged on the posh one that he put on for the school.

"Bucky."

"What?"

"James Buchanan Barnes. Bucky," he said, pointing to his chest with that annoying smirk back on his face. Again.

"Why are you named after a dead American president?"

"Why are you named 'Anthony'?"

"That doesn't make sense." Honestly, nothing about this made sense. He knew the kind of trouble that Barnes usually got into, the kind that resulted in bruises and blood and long nights spent with Madame Pomfrey, but the fights Barnes did cause and get in trouble for were usually because of Steve Rogers, the sickly, much smaller Gryffindor who tended to start fights with much larger, much meaner kids, and those fights usually got excused by the Headmaster. They always did. At least anyone who got in trouble who wasn't in Slytherin House.

And Tony really was never, ever going to mention to anyone how he knew just how much trouble James Barnes caused and why. It was a dangerous thing to think about, and a crush that Tony had long ago willed away. Really. It had taken months, years even, but he had done it.

"Makes as much sense as your question," Barnes said, shooting Tony a pointed look complete with raised eyebrows and that same smirk, and all Tony could think was that this was part of some larger punishment for him.

"You never answered my questions, _Barnes_ ," Tony said, absolutely and completely refusing to use that stupid nickname. It was something completely petty, and he knew it. Barnes likely knew it too.

Especially when his smirk widened into an actual smile as he said, "I asked you first, _Stark_."

Tony exhaled sharply through his gritted teeth and shook his head. "Arguing with a teacher." Which was...not the whole story. He usually argued with teachers, just usually not his own Head of House, and Snape, while fond of Tony's intelligence when it was aimed at someone else, had no patience for it aimed at him.

"Bullshit," Barnes said with that same smile, the same infuriating smile Tony was convinced he didn't hate as much as he should have. Tony shook his head, but before he could say anything else, before he could argue with whatever it was that Bucky Barnes thought he knew about Tony Stark, Hagrid appeared out of his hut, strode over the ground, and stopped in front of the two of them. He gave them both a big smile as he held a giant bucket out to them.

Tony only scoffed, stepping back slightly. "I don't like being handed things." Hagrid's eyes narrowed a little at that, but his smile never dimmed, and it only grew wider when Barnes reached out and took the bucket in his hands. Barnes did, of course, glance over his shoulder to give Tony a look, the kind Tony was far too used to receiving, the kind that said he was smart but otherwise useless.

And Tony did what he usually did when he got that look. He sniffed dismissively and rolled his eyes. Hagrid didn't seem to notice Tony's reaction or, more accurately, decided to ignore it. He shouldered his own pack and gestured towards the path and the trees and the forest beyond.

"You've got 'til midnight to get the plants. They burn out after twelve hours, and it rained around lunch time," Hagrid said helpfully, not bothering to explain the time limit or why it mattered that it rained that afternoon. He seemed to assume that the boys had had enough herbology to know what he was talking about. And judging by Barnes's attentive nod, at least one of them had actually paid attention to Professor Sprout's lectures about Flaming Tentacle Flowers (that was not their real name, Tony knew it wasn't their real name, but he also didn't _care_ what the plants were actually called) and their uses. Or whatever the real reason was that Snape has sent them out into the forest.

"You're not even paying attention, Stark," Barnes said as Hagrid walked ahead of them, leading them into the forest. Tony made a vague sound in his throat, already wishing this had just been an average, every day detention. Tony could have handled cleaning the Transfiguration Classroom again. Anything would be better than the cold, wet forest with Barnes.

"I don't _need_ to pay attention, Barnes. This isn't class, there won't be a test. We'll be out here, at most, an hour, and by all accounts, the plants glow. They'll be easy to find." Tony assumed anyway. Granted, he knew why Hagrid had to traverse the forest with them, but by Tony's way of thinking, this shouldn't take long. He definitely didn't want it to take long, and he definitely did not want to be out in the forest with Barnes. Especially not when Barnes turned that smile on him again, that aggravating, annoying, too-attractive-for-anyone's-good smile.

"The plants are on fire, actually. You'd know that if you weren't too busy reading in Herbology."

"I don't read in Herbology, and you're not even in my class. How would you know?"

"Rhodey mentions it sometimes. How you've always got your nose stuck in some book or another. He thinks the Hat got it wrong, by the way. Thinks you should have been in Ravenclaw." Bucky smiled over at Tony again, and for a moment, Tony's stomach did flips and he thought he was going to run out of air. He shook his head. This was getting ridiculous.

"Stop talking about me, Barnes. Especially to Rhodey. He's not _your_ friend."

"You _can_ call me Bucky, you know."

Tony actually scrunched up his face at that. "Why would I do something like that?" They didn't know each other, after all, and technically, Tony still called his best friend a variation of his last name anyway, so why would Barnes be any different. Well, actually, the part of Tony's brain that hadn't quite exorcised that stupid first-and-second-year crush on Bucky Barnes helpfully told him why it should be different, but Tony just rolled his eyes and attempted to shake off that train of thought.

"Because we're classmates? Because we're stuck together? Because I'm not calling you 'Stark' for the rest of our lives."

"It's a perfectly fine name." Old money, old blood, old magic, and everything that came with all of that. Bucky just laughed and shook his head, but before he could say anything, they both nearly ran into Hagrid's back as the giant man had stopped short in the middle of the path.

"There y' go. Pick what y'think Professor Snape'll need. The plant'll always grow back," Hagrid said, turning to regard both boys and apparently ignoring the disgruntled look on Tony's face. A little warning about sudden stops would have been nice, that's all. Bucky nodded, lifting the bucket slightly as he stepped into the underbrush, and the only light was the light coming off the plants, but it was enough to see Bucky picking his way carefully over the ground.

"Fang'll keep watch. Anythin' comes out of the trees, give a shout, he'll get me, and I'll keep you safe," Hagrid said with a smile, knocking Tony on the shoulder hard enough to make Tony stagger in place for a moment before Hagrid headed back up the path.

"Wait, you're not going to help...." Tony trailed off into an exhale as he watched Fang circle the small group of glowing, fiery plants before the dog finally settled onto the only dry patch of earth in the entire area with a loud humph of air. It was obvious they were on their own. Tony knew that before they had even walked out here. It was the way things like this always worked.

Tony didn't say anything as Bucky knelt on the ground, digging his hands into the earth and pulling the fiery flowers up by the roots. That didn't seem all that safe, but the flames that licked at Bucky's hands didn't burn. It was difficult to tell if it was just an illusion or if the fire was actually the flowering part of the plant. Tony watched every move Bucky made, but he remained where he was, arms crossed over his chest.

It wasn't that he was opposed to work, but...well. He still didn't understand _why_ this specific thing was their assignment, Sprout had to have these things in her greenhouses, that's what Herbology was _for_ , after all. Before he could get lost in that train of thought, lost in that rant, though, Bucky's dirty, soil-covered fingers reached up, grabbed the open flap of Tony's cloak, and tugged. Hard.

He was caught off balance, and there was nothing to grab to steady himself, nothing except Bucky's head. Instead of tangling his fingers in the other boy's hair, though, Tony hit the ground hard, his knees pressing into the cold mud. He frowned at Bucky, but he still didn't speak. It wasn't really the silent treatment, but it actually kinda was.

"It's detention, Tony. We both gotta do the work, or Snape'll send us both out here again."

"Not Snape. It'll be Dumbledore sending us out again," Tony said. Obviously Snape wouldn't care, so long as the boys brought back the plants, and he probably wouldn't care that Tony didn't do the work either (though considering just what Tony had said to him, maybe Snape would be harsher on a member of his own house this one time).

"Either-or. We'll be out here again, and you're already miserable," Bucky said, reaching out to grab Tony's wrist, dragging both of their hands forward. The fact that Bucky was actually touching him mad Tony freeze, his eyes a little wide, a little bit wild. Tony Stark had two things he didn't like. He didn't like being handed things and he didn't like being touched. He tried to pull his hand away from Bucky, but Bucky persisted until he planted both of their hands in the dirt surrounding one of the flaming plants.

Tony hissed through his teeth as Bucky let go of him, but he didn't take his hands away from the plant. Bucky wasn't wrong, not about the detention, and as much as Tony thought this entire thing was just busy work and nothing of importance, he also didn't want to be out here doing grunt work for Snape again. He dug his fingers into the dirt, pushing them under the bulb and roots of the plant, pushing and pulling until he managed to dig it out. He tossed the plant into the bucket and gave Bucky a look.

And Bucky just grinned at him again. That stupid grin that made Tony's stomach do somersaults. This really was getting ridiculous.

"See? Little manual labor never hurt anyone."

Tony rolled his eyes. "It's digging in the dirt, Buck. It's not _labor_."

"You were the one acting like you were above all this," Bucky said, lifting his eyebrows before he focused his attention back on the plants in front of them. They didn't say anything else for a few moments, the only sound that filled the forest being the plop of the plants going into the bucket.

"For the record," Tony began, glancing up from the plant he had just pulled from the ground. "I'm not 'above' this. I just don't understand why we're out here instead of in the nice, clean, _warm_ greenhouses. Sprout has to be growing these things too."

Bucky shrugged, tossing his plant into the bucket before reaching out to take the one in Tony's hands and tossing it in afterward. "The rain makes them more powerful, apparently. Like...real rain, not magic greenhouse rain."

"It's an indoor irrigation system, not magic rain," Tony said, making a vaguely disgruntled sound in his throat before he moved to the next plant, digging his hands in the dirt again. He was so focused on the work, he didn't notice Bucky's hands moving until they were suddenly grasping his. Again.

"I don't like being touched," Tony said, trying to pull his hands away from Bucky's, but Bucky's grip only tightened.

"Where's Fang?"

"Why am I in charge of the stupid dog?" Anything else Tony might have said was swallowed up in a scream. Not from him, not from Bucky, something...behind them? Maybe. The sound echoed, bouncing off the trees. Another scream came shortly after that, one that dissolved into a roar that was quickly drowned out by something large crashing through the forest.

Tony looked up first at Bucky, then down at their hands, then over his shoulder just as something large, covered in fur, and slobbering leapt out of the underbrush. For a brief second, Tony caught sight of its face, its very human face surrounded by a lion's mane, the tail of a large scorpion slashing the air behind them, but before he could get a better look at it, Bucky tackled him to the ground, rolling them down a small embankment and into a copse of trees just as Fang leapt out of the forest from the other side and dug his teeth into the beasts neck.

"Manticore," Bucky said, the word coming out in rush of air, a whisper more than anything, and Tony shook his head.

The thing that Tony saw was not real. Could not be real. Or, more accurately, could not exist in this place right now. Manticores were...Tony screwed his eyes shut and tried to remember the classes that he had had four years ago before he decided that Arithmancy was more interesting than Care of Magical Creatures. Manticores were native to Greece and Turkey and the countries that used to be Persia. Not Scotland, not the United Kingdom. There had never been a native population of manticores in Britain, no matter what some random insane magical zoologists sometimes tried to claim.

So there was no way that Tony had actually seen a manticore in the split second between the roar in the forest and Bucky tackling him to the ground. It couldn't be that. Obviously. There was no way.

So it wasn't a manticore. Tony kept repeating that over and over in his mind as he tried to focus on anything but the panic rising in his mind and his chest. His hand was trapped between his body and Bucky's, the heel of it pressed hard against his sternum, the rain that had fallen over the forest earlier in the day soaking into the back of his cloak, through his jumper, and sending a chill up his spine. Which was a direct contrast to the warmth of Bucky where he straddled Tony's hips, keeping them both down and pinned low. Because of the manticore. That wasn't a manticore.

Tony's heart was getting dangerously close to beating too fast, to missing too many beats, and he needed to stand up to do something beyond lie on the ground underneath Bucky Barnes. Tony's hands moved to Bucky's hips, intending to push the other boy off of him, but for some reason he just dug his fingers in slightly, his fingers twisting in the fabric of Bucky's cloak and jumper. Something that finally made Bucky look away from the forest and back down at Tony, his eyes searching Tony's face, his head canted to the right slightly, a very small smile on his lips.

Looking at Tony in a way that made Tony squirm, his hips pressing against Bucky's without evening thinking twice about it.

"Tony?" Bucky asked, his voice soft, the word meant only for Tony, but before Tony could respond, there was a roar from the forest. "Move," Bucky said, his voice louder this time as he pressed his feet against the ground and stood up, pulling Tony up with him. There was another roar from the forest, and it seemed to come from every side. Just an echo, Tony thought, trying to convince himself that there couldn't possibly be more than one fake manticore in the Forbidden Forest.

They weren't really running for their lives, of course, so much as walking carefully but briskly through a forest that was technically filled with dangerous creatures beyond the manticore that couldn't possibly exist. Eventually, though, when Tony got good and turned around, when he wasn't sure if they were heading deeper into the forest or possibly back to Hagrid's hut, he grabbed Bucky's arm and stopped walking, causing the other boy to stumble slightly on the uneven ground.

"Manticores don't roar." Tony leaned back against the nearest tree, taking his hand away from Bucky's arm and pressing his fingers against the center of his chest. "They also don't roam Scotland. It's not a manticore."

"Looked like a manticore," Bucky said. He was once again watching Tony with a curious expression on his face, his eyes following the movements of Tony's hand where it was trying to massage his heart. Suddenly self-conscious, Tony dropped his hand, pressing both of his hands against the tree behind his back.

"We're wizards, Barnes. Looks can always be deceiving." Tony's words were careful. He was still trying to control his breathing, trying to keep his own curse under control, hoping that tonight was not the night that he lost that fight and ended up dying in Bucky Barnes' arms. That would be horribly romantic and dramatic and just a little bit over the top in a way Tony Stark wasn't known for.

"There's no magical creature that can make itself look like something else?" Bucky had moved closer as he spoke and while Tony was focused on his breathing, and Tony looked up at Bucky from under his eyelashes and shook his head. Bucky exhaled and looked back at the forest. "So someone cast an illusion spell on it. Or transfigured it."

"Why would someone do either of those things?" Either idea was ridiculous, and Tony made sure that fact was obvious in his tone. Bucky rolled his eyes, but he didn't continue to argue. So that was a win, and Tony would have been smug about it, but his breathing still wasn't a hundred percent and neither was his heart rate. He swallowed, closing his eyes for a moment before he said, "You never did answer my question."

"About why I'm here?" Tony made a vague sound of agreement, and he assumed that Bucky was close enough to hear it. "I punched a guy."

"You're always punching a guy," Tony said, actually managing to sound bored as he opened his eyes to look at Bucky.

"Ah," Bucky said, lifting a finger as if he was making a really good point about something. "This time, though, this time it wasn't because someone threatened Steve or got in Rhodey's face about being too smart or even tried to shove Clint down the stairs." Bucky actually grinned at Tony. "This time? This time I just punched a guy in the middle of the Great Hall while everyone was looking."

"Why are you so proud of that?" Tony asked, shaking his head, his eyes narrowed in confusion. Trying to figure out Bucky Barnes was...not actually something Tony wanted to waste his time on. That wasn't true. It was, but Bucky was standing too close again, and it was distracting, and Tony knew he should have follow-up questions, but then there was a roar from the forest behind Bucky.

Before either of them could say anything, there was another roar. Closer this time. So close and so loud it made the trees around them shake. Bucky stepped forward, standing too close again, effectively standing between Tony and whatever really was in the forest tracking them. His hands moved up, fingers lightly touching Tony's elbows before moving up to grip his shoulders. Tony pressed the back of his head against the tree and looked up at Bucky.

"That's Gryffindor stupid, Barnes," Tony said, softly, meaning standing between Tony and danger. Or maybe he meant the touching. Or the standing too close. Or all of it. Bucky just laughed, the sound as soft and quiet as Tony's words like they were both not trying to draw attention to themselves. Bucky was close enough, though, that every movement, every breath pushed their chests together.

"Just regular Hufflepuff stupidity, Tony, not wanting people to die in the forest and all that."

Tony took a deep breath, ignoring the way their chests bumped, ignoring the way if made his heart jump, and his eyes focused on the forest over Bucky's shoulder. Where the underbrush was moving. And the trees. The whole forest it seemed. Something big was coming. "Bucky. We need to go. Now," he said, reaching up to take Bucky's hand off his shoulders before he moved to the side, away from the tree and took off running. He never dropped Bucky's hand, just moving automatically through the forest, trusting his instincts to keep him from tripping and making a fool of himself.

Eventually, there was no longer the sound of anything crashing through the underbrush behind them. Tony stopped running, slowing back into a brisk walk, and he only stopped moving when Bucky did, halting both of their movements and allowed Tony to lean back against another tree. There was no hope of controlling his breathing and his heartbeat now.

In the distance, faintly, there was another roar, then...a scream. Something sounded entirely human but not really. Then...silence. The sounds of the forest, the insects, the night birds, the random creatures that ate both insects and night birds returned, but Tony kept a watchful eye on the forest, just in case.

It wasn't a manticore. Of course it wasn't a manticore, there were no manticores in the Forbidden Forest, that was just basic third year Care of Magical Creatures stuff, an Tony kept repeating those facts like it would make whatever had been chasing them in the forest into something other than an impossibility. He still pressed his head back against the tree, the heel of his palm massaging the center of his chest, trying desperately to keep his heart pumping. He could feel it, deep in his chest, sputtering, his breathing already shallow, his vision already starting to darken at the edges. He stared at the ground and tried to will his body into working properly.

"What's wrong?" Bucky's voice sounded too close and too loud, and Tony winced, even though he knew it was just his hearing being amplified by the curse that was slowly killing him right then. Tony shook his head, pushing himself away from the tree with the hand that wasn't currently massaging his chest.

"Nothing, I'm fine," but as he finished speaking, his knees gave out, his vision browned and he suddenly found Bucky's arm around his waist, half-supporting him, half-lowering him to the ground.

"That ain't fine, Stark," Bucky said. It was too dark for Tony to see the other boy's face, but he could just imagine the reprimand in those blue eyes. Tony let himself be lowered to the ground, curling his legs under him. He knew it was just a matter of time, this episode would pass just like all the others, everything would be really fine in just a few moments, but Tony didn't drop his hand, kept the heel of his palm pressed against his chest like it was a lifeline.

"I was kidnapped. I came back cursed. Father calls it 'Extremis.' For some reason." Howard Stark just liked naming things.

"Your dad the one who cursed you?" Bucky said as he settled down on the grass next to Tony. He shifted his body to that his leg was pressed against Tony's and one of his hands was still pressed against the small of Tony's back. Once upon a time, in a different place, not in the middle of an episode, not shortly after they had been attacked by a not-manticore, Tony would have shrugged him off, told Bucky to never touch him again. Instead, he just shot him a dark look at that question, one Tony wasn't even sure could be seen. It must have been, though, because Bucky just shrugged. "Usually only the wizards who come up with the curses name them, yeah?"

"They never caught who did it," Tony said. As much as he didn't get along with his father, as much as they were far too similar to ever, really like each other, Tony was pretty sure his father would never attack him, not when he had been too young to defend himself. Probably. He shook his head, trying to banish both Bucky's words and his own thoughts.

"But we're sure your dad's not a supervillain?" Tony kept his eyes focused on the ground, his fingers still lightly massaging circles into his chest. He didn't want to look at Bucky, he didn't want to run the risk of revealing anything remotely related to his thoughts and feelings right at that moment, nothing about how ridiculously attractive Barnes was even in the low light of the forest, definitely nothing about his own doubts about who was responsible for Tony's kidnapping, Tony's curse. He cleared his throat, blinked slowly, and dropped his hand away from his chest. His heart was no long sputtering, no longer skipping, his vision was slowly returning to normal, and just those few moments of sitting on the ground had eased the attack. Or so Tony told himself. Anything to get away from uncomfortable questions.

"Is that some kind of muggle thing?" Tony said as he pressed his hands into the grass and used that as leverage to push himself to his feet. Bucky didn't move away, though, not even when Tony stood up, not even when Tony busied himself with brushing the bits of grass and leaves off his pants as a way of avoiding Bucky in general. Instead, Bucky remained close to Tony's side, standing with him, his hand pressing ever-so-slightly against the small of Tony's back. Protective, maybe, or, more accurately, support in case Tony had another attack.

"I'm just saying. Man who names the curse...," Bucky said, but he trailed off as he shrugged glancing around the forest like he was searching for something. Apparently finding whatever he was looking for, Bucky finally moved away from Tony and stepped towards the towering copse of trees a short distance off to the side. Tony's eyes followed him, taking the time that Bucky's back was turned to actually study the other boy. It wasn't something Tony usually got the chance to do. Usually they were in class and surrounded by people and a Slytherin staring at a Hufflepuff usually resulted in someone threatening to start a fight or spreading rumors about what Stark was plotting.

But even in the dim light of the forest, the only light from coming from the moon and the flaming plants (they had run all the way back to that place, apparently), even someone who like to pretend that he was above the stupid teenage things like crushes on cute boys had to admit that Bucky was striking. Striking in a way that made Tony's heart jump in a way that, probably, hopefully, wouldn't kill him. Of course, after several minutes, when Bucky stepped out of the trees carrying that bucket of glowing herbs they had harvested, Tony had to cut his eyes to the side and feign the worst boredom he could manage, a very practiced expression, one that was almost perfect.

"Are we done out here?" Tony asked, pulling his cloak tighter around his shoulders and crossed his arms over his chest. He should offer to help, he knew he should, but that would be a little too...well. A little too not Tony Stark.

"Sorry that the fight against an actual _manticore_ interrupted your terribly important evening," and Tony had to look at Bucky at those words, but the other boy was grinning, his words teasing and not as biting as they had sounded at first, and Tony snorted as he stepped forward, reaching out to take hold of the handle of the bucket.

"It wasn't a manticore," Tony said, automatically, as he shook his head and shifted his grip so that they were sharing the weight of their work more evenly. "Besides, you probably intentionally released the manticore into the forest. Probably Rogers' idea." Tony held up his free hand, pointing his finger at Bucky. "In fact. You both probably raised it and trained it to attack the other students."

"Please. If I'd been the one to raise and train a manticore, I would have released it in your common room, so that all of Slytherin would have to sleep in the Great Hall for at least one evening." Bucky grinned fast and wide at Tony's confused look before he shrugged. "Closer to the kitchens, then I could sweep you off your feet with all the excellent cooking tricks the house elves know." Bucky laughed, then, rubbing his free hand over the back of his neck as he did. "Fastest way to a man's heart and all that."

Tony just blinked at him before he shook his head. "I have no idea what that means."

"It's a muggle thing, don't worry about it." Tony narrowed his eyes at that. He had never been a fan of having his own words thrown back at him, but before he could say anything about that, his mouth leapt in front of his brain.

"You want to sweep me off my feet?" That was not the point. Tony knew it, but Bucky's grin in response nearly caused Tony's heart to skip another beat.

"Isn't that obvious?" Bucky laughed then, and the sound was breathless as he reached out, dropping the bucket and the weight of it sent it falling to the ground with a clatter, as Bucky took hold of Tony's waist and pulled him closer. When Bucky's mouth caught his in a kiss, it wasn't entirely unexpected. It still took Tony a moment to react, to grip Bucky's cloak just to pull him closer. He returned the kiss almost tentatively, his tongue only barely brushing Bucky's lower lip before the other boy's mouth opened and Tony saw sparks and stars and he swore his heart was going to give out again.

He pulled back to let go of Bucky's cloak and press his hand against his chest. He didn't try and massage his heart again, it wasn't that kind of skipped beat. "You're not helping," Tony said, looking up at Bucky from under his eyelashes.

"Is it going to kill you?" Bucky was smiling, the expression calm and a little bit sly, a little bit teasing. Tony shook his head, and then Bucky kissed him again, this time catching his waist and moving them both back until Tony was pressed back against a tree. His finger gripped Bucky's cloak again, tightly, his knuckles turning white as Bucky's hand moved up into Tony's hair, tangling in the strands. That grip allowed his thumb to stroke the skin just behind Tony's ear, and Tony groaned into Bucky's mouth.

Which is what made Bucky finally break that kiss, though he didn't pull away. He kept his thumb still stroking that spot behind Tony's ear before he leaned forward and replaced his thumb with his mouth. Tony practically swooned in a frankly embarrassing way, knees weak and everything, and when he brought his own hand up to tangle it in Bucky's hair, it was only so he could tug on the strands just to get Bucky's attention.

"We need to stop before we do something we're not supposed to do in detention."

"Right. We don't need to scar Hagrid for life, right?" Bucky was smiling that teasing smile again as he stepped back from Tony, taking his hand away from Tony's hair only to reach out to take Tony's hand. Who could only stare at their joined hands for a moment before a noise behind them in the forest made Tony's fingers tighten around Bucky's. Just in case. Just in case fight or flight kicked in again and they had to run for their lives. He wasn't worried about the freakish manticore anymore, that thing was dealt with, but the forest was forbidden for a reason. Who knows what was really out there in the dark.

Turned out it was just Hagrid, leading Fang through the underbrush, his own satchel of...full of whatever the giant had been gathering the forest tossed over his shoulder.

"Ready t'head back?" Hagrid actually sounded jovial, like there was nothing wrong about this forest.

"Did you see anything in the forest?" Tony should have answered Hagrid's question, should have just been happy that they were finally getting out of here. Or, hell, he should have argued, should have poured out everything the two of them had been through, how dangerous it had been, how much trouble Snape and Hagrid would be in when Dumbledore _and_ Tony's parents heard about this, but instead, he had this stupid, ridiculous need to be proven right.

"Like what?" Hagrid said, stepping over several tree roots and over to the pair of the boys.

"A manticore." And Hagrid laughed. Really laughed, his entire body shaking with it, the sound echoing through the forest, and Tony couldn't help the small relieved smile at it.

"No manticores in th' forest. Weather's not good enough, y'know? Not warm, 'specially not this time of year. Why'd ya wanna know that?" And Tony shot a look at Bucky, lifted his chin and actually looked smug. Before Tony could answer, though, his words were silenced by Bucky squeezing his fingers before dropping his hand to lift the bucket filled with glowing herbs to show Hagrid.

"No reason, but we got what we came for, boss," Bucky said, his voice matching the jovialness in Hagrid's, and that fact just make Tony scowl at them both. Which only made Hagrid laugh again as he clamped his big hand down on Bucky's shoulder and nudged Tony lightly as he walked past. Bucky didn't follow immediately, standing back with Tony just to lean over and whisper, "It was an adventure, Tony. We tell anyone what happened, no one'll ever let us come back out here again." Bucky lifted his eyebrows then and grinned before turning and using both hands to lift the bucket to follow Hagrid to the mouth of the forest.

Tony caught up easily, reaching down to take hold of the bucket as well just to once again take his share of the load. "You are trouble, Buck," Tony said, half under his breath, really hoping neither Hagrid nor Bucky would hear him. But Bucky actually looked at him again and fucking winked at him which only made Tony's heart skip a beat again as he ducked his head to hide the blush he was certain would be visible even in the dark.

By the time they had left the bucket with Hagrid who had assured them that he would get the herbs to Professor Snape before class tomorrow, Tony was exhausted and cold and desperately wanted to kiss Bucky one more time, but Hagrid was standing at the door of his cabin, watching to make sure they made it back to the castle safely, so there wasn't exactly time or a chance to even holding hands. Not where a kind of authority figure could see them. Tony retreated into himself, his head down, eyes focused on the long path back to the school.

"Hey!" Tony was almost too far away when Bucky shouted that word, knocking Tony out of his thoughts and his conflicted feelings and the tight knot of his stomach. He lifted his head, tearing his eyes away from the ground to look back at him. "Hogsmeade on Saturday. You wanna get a butterbeer or something?"

"A butterbeer."

"Or something." Tony had stopped walking at that, giving Bucky a chance to catch up to him so they were no longer shouting over the courtyard.

"Are you asking me out on a date, Buck?"

"I don't know. Maybe," he said, and his smile was...breathless. And genuine. And the sight of it made Tony's stomach clench, his breath catch, and his heart skip a dangerous beat.

"Yes, well, come talk to me when you're _certain_ , James," Tony said, shifting his accent back to the haughty, pureblood, too smart, too above everyone and everything that was expected from Tony Stark. He even add that signature disdainful sniff at the end of his words. When Bucky narrowed his eyes at him, Tony winked at him as he took the moment to just breathe, to restart his heart, to get his thoughts in order before he pressed his hands into his pockets and moved to stand even with Bucky.

"Oh, I'm _certain_ , Stark." There was a challenge in Bucky's voice now, but he was smiling too, his head reaching out to take Tony's, and Tony let their fingers link together in a way that felt way too natural.

"I expect more than butterbeer." Tony said, lifting his chin, but he smiled after he spoke, quick and wide, before he added, "A meal, at least."

"A whole meal. Wow. You might be getting too fancy for me, Anthony," but Bucky didn't stop smiling as he reached out with his other hand, his fingers snagging the wrist of the hand he was holding. Tony felt the other man's fingers press into his skin, gently, just enough for him to feel the way Tony's pulse jumped at the feeling. A fact that got another quick smile from Bucky. "So a date. A meal. Anything else?" His smile was teasing, but the question seemed genuine, and Tony only shrugged.

"Some light hand-holding. I might allow a bit of flirt-...." Tony never got to finish that sentence before Bucky tugged him gently forward and pressed a kiss to his mouth. It wasn't earth-shattering. Of course not, it couldn't be, Tony was too caught off-guard by it, and he didn't immediately return the kiss. Before he could, Bucky pulled away, his smile dimmer now, almost shy.

"Sorry, I-...," but Tony reached out and grabbed the front of Bucky's jumper with his freehand, tugging him forward and into another kiss. One Tony was ready for, one he wanted, and at the touch of Bucky's tongue against his lower lip, Tony saw stars again. This time, they only pulled apart because they needed air, but they didn't move away from each other, still standing close enough that they were practically breathing in tandem. Even panting for air, Tony couldn't stop from stealing small kisses until they both, finally, had to pull away.

"This is ridiculous, you know," Tony said, taking a step back and shrugging when all he got in response was a confused look from Bucky. "We've never even spoken before, then we get detention together, started making out in the forest, the courtyard, and suddenly we're talking about hand-holding and dates. It's ridiculous." Tony wasn't really complaining, of course, he wasn't opposed to anything that had happened that night, no matter how ridiculous it seemed by the lights of the castle.

"You left out the part where I saved you from a manticore," Bucky said, and that infuriating smirk was back.

"You did not _save_ me from a _manticore_ ," Tony said, rolling his eyes.

"I did. You also left out the part where I only got detention so I could spend time with you. Which I know sounds weird and stalkerish, but you're always surrounded by people in class, and someone has to look after Steve, and technically it was Natasha that told me that detention was probably the only time you were ever, really, alone, so blame her, or don't, actually, she gets scary sometimes, and I thought it would be inside, not the Forbidden Forest, Snape is an ass, and...." Tony stopped the babbling with another kiss, pulling back back to him. It was quick this time, just meant to swallow the words more than anything.

"You got detention for me." Tony was trying desperately not to be flattered by that, but that was harder than it should have been. Tony expected his own housemates to go to great lengths to get his attention. Smart, attractive, old money, older magic, but James Barnes was...well. Honestly, at some point, Tony had written the Hufflepuff off as out of his league. Bucky wrapped his arms around Tony's waist, keeping him close.

"So, you see, it's not ridiculous. Well," Bucky said, narrowing his eyes as he seemed to consider his words. "I was ridiculous. I, um, sometimes get these grand ideas in my head. Steve says it can be a bit much. I mean, not, like, big gestures, but...getting detention to flirt with a cute boy that I share, what, five classes with?" Bucky ducked his head, suddenly sheepish, and Tony had to lean in, ducking his head to press a kiss to the corner of Bucky's mouth.

"You really should have been in Gryffindor, Bucky. Brave but stupid," Tony said, but his voice was fond, and he let his arms slip around Bucky's waist, holding him just as close as Bucky was holding him. He felt Bucky laugh as Tony laid his forehead against Bucky's shoulder. They let silence settle over them, knowing that eventually they would have to go their separate ways, go back to common rooms and houses and pretending like their detention had just been a normal evening in the Forbidden Forest.

"I expect flowers for our date, Tony," Bucky said, finally, and Tony could hear the grin in his voice. Tony rolled his eyes but didn't lift his head, not yet.

"Well, since you _are_ paying...," Tony said, pressing a kiss to Bucky's shoulder as the other boy snorted a laugh in response before urging Tony to lift his head for another, final-for-tonight kiss.

**Author's Note:**

> Character sorting for this universe in case anyone wants to know:  
> Tony Stark and Natasha Romanoff -> Slytherin  
> Bucky Barnes and Clint Barton -> Hufflepuff  
> Steve Rogers and James Rhodes -> Gryffindor  
> Bruce Banner and Pepper Potts (even though they weren't in this story) -> Ravenclaw


End file.
